A Mountain of Sand
by NekoYokai
Summary: In a hot desert world lies an isolated cell where criminals and victims alike are left to rot...why? As doom approaches for the prisoners secrets are revealed that most would have preferred left buried. (AU, First story of a long series)


A/N: Hello minna-san! In this story I tried for a different style so if you could tell me if you like it, or not I would very much appreciate it!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own RK, or anyone in it...but a girl can dream right?  
  
Summary: In a hot desert world lies an isolated cell where criminals and victims alike are left to rot...why? As doom approaches for the prisoners secrets are revealed that most would have preferred left buried. (AU, First story of a long series)  
  
A Mountain of Sand  
  
Chapter 1: A Drugged Wake Up  
  
Alternate Title: Meet the Kenshin-gumi!!  
  
Chapt. Rating: PG  
  
I awoke to the sweltering fireball that was my country.  
  
'Shit!' I cursed lightly as my head throbbed in sync with my pulse, much like that time Yahiko bet Sano a couple zari (A/n: that is the currency in this world) for him to try and sing.  
  
Damn, that's something I never want to have the misfortune of living through aga-  
  
Throb.  
  
Okay.  
  
Throb.  
  
Thinking has been ruled out for the time being.  
  
Throb.  
  
I noticed the bright color of my hair starting to hurt my eyes.  
  
Throb.  
  
"Hnnn....." I couldn't stop the groan from escaping my lips, I was to focused on the pain I was feeling.  
  
Throb.  
  
"What the..." This time the voice wasn't mine.  
  
Throb.  
  
Throb.  
  
Wait. If that wasn't me who was it?  
  
Throb.  
  
"Grhnnn..." By the sound of it there in about the same condition as me.  
  
Throb.  
  
Throb.  
  
Throb.  
  
Throb.  
  
After a few minutes my brain decided that trying to break free from my skull was a lost cause and settled for a more docile hum that edged to the back of my mind.  
  
Thank the gods.  
  
Finally having control over my body I looked over my surroundings. Great, I was in a musty old cell.  
  
Jeez had I fucked up, or what?  
  
Remembering the groaning person before I looked over to see who it was, I saw the spiked hair and immediately recognized it as Sano. He was asleep, and drooling all over the dirt floor of the cell.  
  
Deciding that waking him would probably the worst mistake I ever made (and trust me that's saying something) I opted for falling into a pain filled, and probably drug induced sleep.  
  
"Help me."  
  
White plum.  
  
"Please..."  
  
Oh gods, not again.  
  
"Please save me."  
  
No...  
  
"KYAAAAAH!!!"  
  
Stop it.  
  
"You really thought he would come for you?"  
  
STOP IT.  
  
"WHY?!!!!!!!"  
  
"STOP IT!!!!!"  
  
My scream awoke me along with what I would bet was the rest of creation. Unfortunately that would include a sleep deprived, pissed off, and plastered demon of hell A.K.A. Sagara Sanosuke.  
  
Gods have mercy on my unworthy soul, Might as well say goodbye to everything in my last 10 seconds of life.  
  
"Kenshin...." Uh-oh, feral Sano. Make that 3 seconds, "What the hell was that abo-"  
  
At that point Sano was cut off by an enraged voice.  
  
"Lemme go you stupid mindless bastards! Don't you dare put a hand on Kaoru! You jerks! I'll kick your ass once I'm out of here. What did you do to her?!"  
  
Two burly men clad in armor came into our line of vision, carrying an unconscious young lady and what appeared to be an enraged sack of potatoes.  
  
"Jou-chan!" Sano yelled out in surprise as he caught site of the girl's face.  
  
The men threw the girl and potato sac into the cell next to ours which was separated by a row of metal bars. Ater a few seconds the potato sac opened revealing a very annoyed young boy.  
  
I saw it was Yahiko, and worry over came me at his state. His dark hair was normally messy, but right now it was in such disarray that it looked as though a porcupine was sitting on his head, his eyes had dark circles under them and a mass of black and blue bruises covered his arms.  
  
He didn't acknowledge me or Sano as he turned his warm brown eyes, filled with anger and worry, to the unconscious woman next to him.  
  
She was pretty in a cutesy way; her long, dark almost blue hair was in a messy ponytail that sat high on her head. Her lips were in a small frown.  
  
I was so busy observing the stranger that I didn't notice Yahiko draw in a long breath getting ready to-  
  
"BUSU! WAKE UP!!!!!"  
  
Throb.  
  
Stupid Yahiko.  
  
Throb.  
  
Stupid head.  
  
Throb.  
  
Stupid life.  
  
He waited a few seconds before drawing in another breathe getting ready to do it again.  
  
"No, wait she's moving!" Sano's frantic cry saved us all from a fate worse then death. If I wasn't so revolted with the idea I would've kissed him.  
  
Sure enough the young lady stirred, "Ouch, who turned up the sound?"  
  
She opened her eyes and immediately shut them again, "Since when did everything get so bright?"  
  
"Kaoru, you're alright!" an ecstatic Yahiko is something to fear.  
  
He latched on to the poor girl and didn't let her go, tears of pain shown briefly in her eyes.  
  
"Yes squirt," She gasped, "I'm okay, now could you please get off me?"  
  
Yahiko blushed and mumbled a little apology. Then he paused.  
  
"I'M NOT A SQUIRT!!!"  
  
Oro.....  
  
Throb.  
  
Throb.  
  
"Did you have to set him off?" Sano growled, holding his head in pain.  
  
I had to agree with him on that.  
  
"Really Yahiko..." my hoarse voiced was laced with pain, as I said the first thing I had since I woke up in this god forsaken hell hole.  
  
Everyone was alerted that I was there and the woman, Kaoru, looked at me in confusion.  
  
"Who are you?" Her voice was filled with polite curiosity and I felt her gaze on my scar.  
  
Sano smiled at the two of us.  
  
"That's right, you don't know Kenshin do ya Jou-chan," before we could get a word in he continued.  
  
"Jou-chan this is Himura Kenshin, the one I was telling you about, the one who saved Yahiko."  
  
Kaoru smiled at me with gratitude.  
  
"It wasn't much..." I mumbled humbly.  
  
"Kenshin this is Kamiya Kaoru, that girl who's taking care of Yahiko, and me once that time we got separated," Sano smiled widely.  
  
I sighed, "More freeloading Sano?"  
  
Sano was just about to answer when Kaoru cut in.  
  
"Like you wouldn't believe!!" She yelled, "My parents and I had to work double shift to pay for his food!!"  
  
Sano blushed, "I wasn't that bad...speaking of your parents, how are the old bags?"  
  
"Dead," Kaoru said bitterly.  
  
"Oh," Poor Sano was at a loss for words, but was saved when we heard a voice at the entrance of our cell.  
  
"Hello, I'm Takani Megumi and I'm the doctor around here. Let's check your wounds then shall we?"  
  
A/N: So did you like it? Please ask questions they really help!!  
  
Next Chap preview:  
  
"I bet we could get out of here..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"To the ocean...I only saw it once, but once you're there you'd never be slaves to these people again. We could cross the ocean."  
  
"That's crazy."  
  
"Do you have a better plan?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I didn't think so." 


End file.
